Hat-guard.



F. P. SNOW.

HAT GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.13, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK 1P. SNUW, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

HAT-GUARD.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK P. Snow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hat Guards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hat guards and has particular reference to a device adapted to be attached to a hat in such a way as to prevent any one but the owner thereof from using the hat, without injuring or destroying the same.

It is an object of the invention among other things, to provide a hat guarding de vice which is securely fastened to the hat and capable of arrangement, under the control of the owner, so that it can not well be put on and used by an unauthorized party.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a hat guarding device, with a projecting prong, which is capable of being controlled by a suitable locking mechanism, so that it may be moved to and caused to remain in head engaging position, against use by unauthorized parties, or may be turned out of head engaging position when the hat is to be worn by the owner thereof.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification: Figure 1, is a perspective view of a portion of a hat having the improved guard attached thereto and showing the prong thereof projecting through the sweat band so as to be in head engaging position. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the guard, in inverted position adjacent portions of the hat being shown as when the hat is inverted for inspection. Fig. is a back elevation of the guard re moved from thehat. Fig. t, is a rear elevation of the guard, with. the prong securing plate removed. Fig. 5, is a rear elevation of the attaching plate of the device. Fig. 6, is a detail view in elevation showing the reverse side of the prong member of the guard, the locking bolts of the device being shown in position thereon. Fig. 7, is a detail sectional view taken through the hat guard when in position upon a hat, adjacent parts of a hat being also shown in section. Fig. 8, is a detail perspective view of a guard provided with a modified form of locking means. Fig. 9, is a' rear elevation Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1911.

Patented June 2, 1914. SeriaI No. 665,478.

of the said modified form of the device, with the rear or attaching plate removed.

tVith the above objects in view, the details and features of the invention will now be specifically described, reference being had to the drawing. In said drawing, 1 indicates an attaching or base plate, by which the device may be firmly fastened to a hat. The said attaching plate 1, is provided with a central opening 2, usually circular in shape and adapted to receive a circular bearing projection 3, formed upon the inner face of a prong or spur member 4, which is movably mounted on said attaching plate 1. The said attaching plate is also provided with apertures 5, for receiving securing screws or rivets to fasten the device to a hat. Proecting outwardly from the circular opening 2 in the attaching plate 1, are radiating recesses 6 adapted to receive the ends of looking bolts. The prong member .4. carries a number of latches or bolts which are adapted to engage the said recesses (i, for preventing the turning of the prong member from its adjusted positions. The said bolts are preferably made curvedas indicated at 7 and move in correspondingly shaped recesses formed in the bearing projection 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 in the drawing. The said. bolts are made of such length that when they are brought to an intermediate position, in the recesses 8, their ends will not project beyond the outer periphery of the bearing projection 3, and the prong member will thus be free to turnupon the attaching plate 1. By moving the said bolts in either direction so that one end of any or all of them projects into any of the recesses 6, the prong member will be prevented from turning. The said prong member 4 is formed with a sharp point 9, preferably adapted to contact with the head of any one trying to put on the hat with the device fastened thereto, when said prong member 4, is turned to the position shown in Fig.

1. The body portion of the prong member 4, preferably overlaps the apertures 5 sufiiciently to prevent the withdrawal of attaching screws, which secure the device to a hat, but the said overlapping portion is usually provided with a notch 10, which may be brought opposite each aperture 5 successively, to permit of the insertion or removal of such attaching screws, one at a time. The said prong member 4 is provided with a central opening 11, through which outwardly turned projections 12, formed upon the bolts 7, extend so that the said bolts may be moved, for setting them in looking or unlocking the prong member 1.

By having a plurality of bolts 7, they may be made to act like the tumblers of' a permutation lock and indicating numbers as at 13, are placed upon the outer face of the prong member 4, to enable the owner of the hat, who knows the combination, to set the projections 12 opposite the right numbers 13, for releasing the bolts and permitting of the turning of the prong member into or out of head engaging position. After adjustment the bolts may again be thrown out of the unlocked position and by their engagement with the recesses 6, will prevent the manipulation of the prong member.

If desired the positioning of the bolts 7, in unlocked position may be facilitated by providing them with slight indentations or recesses 14, which are adapted to be engaged by laterally turned points 15 formed upon a spring plate 16. The said spring plate 16 is secured usually by a screw 17, to the back of a plate 18, which is screwed or otherwise fastened to the bearing projection 3 upon the said prong member 1. The said plate 18 forms an inner flange member for the prong member 1, to movably hold it in the aperture 2 of the attaching or base plate 1. The points 15 of the spring plate 16 extend shown in Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawing. The said plate 18 is also usually provided with projections 18 projecting from its periphery and adapted to engage a stop or detent 1 formed on the back of the attaching plate 1. The said projections and stop limit the movement of the prong member 4. at its locked and unlocked positions.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing the bolting mechanism of the hat protector, may be somewhat difl erently arranged within the spirit of the invention. The bolts may be arranged in the form of parallel laterally ext-ending pieces or bars 19, mounted within a casing 20, which is attached to the front face of a base of attaching plate 21, the ends of the bolts being adapted to project, when in extended position, through apertures 22, formed in the said casing 20. A prong member 23, is provided and formed with a ring portion 24, which is movably mounted upon the said casing 20. The said ring portion 2 1, is formed with one or more recesses 25 adapted to receive the ends of the bolts 19. The said bolts 19 are preferably two in number, arranged parallel and are provided with projections 26 upon their edges, between which projections an expanprojections 26.

sion spring 27 is placed. Said spring 27 is usually helical in form and fits upon the inturned ends of the projections 26. The said spring normally tends to force the opposite ends of the bolts 19 into locking position. The said bolts 19 are also provided with actuating projections 28, generally upon the opposite edges thereof from the These projections 28 are adapted to be engaged by webs 29 formed upon a key 30, which may be inserted through an opening 31 in the casing. By

turning the key after such insertion, the

projections 28 may be forced apart against the action of the spring 27 for withdrawing the bolts from the recesses 25. By this construction only the possessor of the key can unlock the device.

In either form of the device described the manner of application to the hat is the same. The devices described are set inside .the hat and between the sweat leather or band and the body portion of the hat, a :slotor opening 32, being formed in the fsweat band to permit of the prong being turned downwardly into head engaging poisition. A plate 33 is also applied outside the crown of the hat, but so as to be covered by the usual ribbon band, and screws are passed through the apertures of the attaching plate, the material of the hat and into 3 threaded apertures formed in said plate 33. The device thus becomes a permanent fixture of the hat and cannot be easily taken therefrom without injurlng or destroying i the hat. through openings formed in the plate 18 as In use when the owner is wearing the hat, the prong is turned upwardly as indlcated by dotted lines in Figs. 1, 7 and 8, projecting v above the sweat band. hangs up his hat or leaves it in any public hen the owner or other place, he bends the sweat band inwardly, so that he can set the bolts of the device or use his key for permitting of the turning of the prong member upon the attaching plate. The said member is turned downwardly so as to project inwardly as shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 8, the bolts being again moved so as to lock the prong member in its adjusted position. The sweat band is then turned inwardly to its place again, the opening 32 therein fitting over the prong. YVith the prong in this position it is practically impossible for a person to wear the hat and would immediately call ones attention to the fact that awrong hat had been taken.

One who is determined to steal the hat,

The details of the device may be considerably varied as found desirable without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. In combination wit-h a perforated sweat leather, a hat guarding device having a guarding prong adapted to project through the perforation of the sweat leather to contact with the head, or to be withdrawn from the sweat leather and turned out of head engaging position.

2. A hat guard, comprising an attaching plate, a head engaging prong member, pivoted upon said attaching plate and locking means capable of holding the prong member either in its head engaging position or out of head engaging position, as the case may be.

3. A hat guard comprising an attaching plate, a head engaging prong member adjustably journaled thereon, and a combination locking means adapted to positively lock the adjustable prong member in all of the different positions to which it may be adjusted.

4. A hat guarding device comprising an attaching plate having a series of radiating recesses, :1 prong member movable on the said attaching plate and having segmental bolts mounted thereon, means projecting through said prong member for adjusting said bolts and a spring plate connected with said prong member and having bolt engaging points arranged to engage depressions in said bolts for tending to hold them in adjusted position.

5. A hat guard, comprising an attaching plate having a bearing therein, a prong member having a journal portion engaging said bearing and having a head engaging point projecting therefrom and locking means adapted to positively hold the prong member either in or out of head engaging position, and against unauthorized turning the same therefrom.

6. A hat guard comprising an attaching portion capable of holding the device behind the sweat band of a hat, a journal bearing being provided on said attaching portion, a prong member journaled on said bearing, locking bolts for holding the prong member with respect to the attaching por tion, and means for operating the bolts to control the action of the prong member, the

sweat band of the hat having an aperture through which the prong member projects when in head engaging position.

7. A hat guard comprising a base, a prong member having a ring portion formed with oppositely disposed keeper recesses and provided with a head engzlging prong, parallel oppositely moving locking bolts, adapted to engage said recesses, the said bolts having lateral projections, an expansion spring mounted between them, the said bolts also having key engaging projections, by which the bolts may be moved by a suitable key against the action of said spring, and means for movably holding the bolts in position within the ring portion of the said prong member.

8. A hat 'uard comprising an attaching plate having a bearing formed therein, and provided with recesses extending into the walls of said bearing, a head engaging memher having a journal adapted to move in said bearing, and a series of bolts carried by said journal and affording permutation means for engaging the recesses in the hearing, and locking the head-engaging member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK P. SNOW. lVitnesses GASSELL SEVERANGE, FRANK I. SHERMAN.

Copie: of 1.111: patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentl, Washington, D. 0.. 

